Container



Dec. 29, 1964 R. c. s'roLK 3,163,311

CONTAINER Filed Dec. l0, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet l Anwen/y Dec. 29,Y 1964 R. c. sroLK CONTAINER Filed Dec. l0, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mxm BYKM

CONTAINER Filed Dec. l0, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY gwg Robert Cornelius Stox,

i FIGS.V 2 andf3.v

United States Patent O 3,163,311 CONTI-'UNER l Faireld, Conn., assigner to American Can Company, New York, NX., a corpora-k tion of New Jersey Filed Dec. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 329,445 9 Claims. (Cl. 21S- 83) The present invention relates generally to a container for hermetically sealing food products and more particularly to such a container lwhich includes an easily removable, tamperproof cap member and a sealing element which may be used as a reclosure after the removal of the cap member.

An object of the present invention is to provide an easily openable container for hermetically sealing food products such as instant, concentrated or powdered colee, tea and milk or the like which may or may not be main tained under vacuum within the container.

Another object is to provide such a container which may be easily opened without the use of an opening tool and which may be readily reclosed after the initial opening thereof to preserve the food product remaining in the container.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a container for food products maintained under vacuum therein which comprises a sealing element that is so constructed as to allowrventing of thevacuum within the container to thereby facilitate removal of the sealing element from the contaner body.

Still another object is .to provide such a container wherein the sealing element may be easily gripped by the consumer for the removal thereof from the container body.

A still further object is to provide such a container having a tamperproof cap member so that .the consumer can be assured of the hermetic sealing of the food product within the container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is bett-er understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FGURE l is a perspective view of a container constructed according to the principles of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view in section of the upper portion of the container shown 'in FGURE l; l

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the container after the removal of the cap member therefrom and with .the sealing element thereof in a: squeezed position just prior to its removal from the container body;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to showing the modil .fied container of FIG.V 4 after the removal of,VV the cap member vtherefrom and with the sealing 'element thereof in a squeezed and venting position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective View in sectiontrof the modied container shown in FIG.V4, showing thesealing element when it is used as a reclosure for the container body; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views in section of furthe; modiiied forms of the lsealingelement shownV in As a preferred and exemplary embodiment-0fY the instant invention, FlGS. land 2 illustrate a container lll for hermetically sealing afo'od product P, such as instant, concentrated or powdered coffee, tea and'milkror thelike,

3,163,311 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 ice 1 sure within the container 10. To preserve the freshness v of the food product P, it preferably is sealed within the which ismaintained under substantially atmospheric prescontainer 10 in the presence of an inert gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen in a conventional manner.

The container 10 comprises an open-ended body 12 preferably ofy cylindrical shape and made of aV substantially rigid, transparent material such as glass. The open or upper end of the container body 12 terminates in an annular bead 14 having a flat upper face 16, a downwardly and outwardly tapering outer face 18 andan undercut face 20 which merges with the outer face 18 in a relatively sharply curved corner "22. The container body 12 further comprises a sloping outer face 24 which merges with the undercut face 2) of the bead 14 to define an annular, approximately V-shaped groove 26 'in the body 12.

A tamperproof cap member 28 of an easily tearable material such as aluminum is disposed over the open end of the container body 12 and comprises a ilat central panel 3l) and a dependng holding skirt 32. The holding skirt 32 in turn comprises a downwardly and outwardly extending upper section 34 in engagement with the outer bead face 1S, a downwardly and inwardly extending section 36 in engagement withthe undercut bead face 20 and merging with the upper section 34 in Va rounded corner 38 which is in engagement with and closely conforms to Vthe bead corner 22, and a downwardly `and outwardly extending lower section 4t? which is in engagement with the outer face 24 and merges with the skirt section 36V to form a V-shaped holding section ,42.` As shown in FIG. 2, the holding section 42 of theslrirt 32 is tightly disposed in the V-shaped groove 26 of the container body 12 to retain the cap member 28 on the container body 12.

In order to hermetically seal the food product P within the container body 12, a sealing or gasket element 44 (FIG. 2) is disposed within the open end of the container body 12 and is formed of a suitable llexible and resilient plastic material such as a polyoleiin, c g., polyethylene or polypropylene; a vinyl resin, e.g., polyvinylchloride; or a suitable polyamide such as nylon. The sealing element 44 comprises a flat, laterally extending central portion 46 disposed within the open end of fthe container body 12, an upstanding countersink wall 48 merging at its lower end with the central portion 46, and a ange V50 extending laterally outwardly from the upper 'portion of the counter-v the cap member 28 are` in tight engagement with theout-.w y

wardly Vextending flange. 50ct the sealing element 44 to retain the flange 50pm tight Contact with the flat uppe bead face 16,(see FIG. 2).

The sealing element 44 is provided with a hollow grip.-

ping buttonhror knob 54 extending upwardly from and Vformed, integral with the ilat central portion 46., The

gripping button: 54 comprises a fiat upper portion 56` disposed below the outwardly extending flange S0 ofthe sealing elementv44, and an Vannular downwardly and inwardly extending flange portion 58 which merges a'tfitslowerrge'd with the inner end of the dat central portion 46. ft'e `the removal -off the cap member 28 fromtheconta'iner A body 12, thegripping button 54 allows the sealing element lto be readily removed from the contair'reribody"12in.V al manner to bedescn'bed more" fully hereinafter-1"'.

l: VThe cap memberlS isrprovide'd with tearing means: to facilitate removal thereof as a unitary structure frorngthe jl Iccmtainer body `12, withoutrequiring the use of anv openc ing ltool. The tearingfmeans (FIGS. l and 2) comprises a pair of spaced and diverging curved score lines 60, 62 disposed on the inner face of the central cap panelY 30, the score lines 60, V62 terminating at theirwidely spaced ends adjacent the outer end portion of the central cap fpanel30. At their narrowly spaced ends, the scorre linesV 60, 62 extend downwardly through theV cap skirt 32 and r terminate in a tearingrtongue 64 which extends downwardly along the containerbody v12 beyond the lowerV skirt section 40. Y

To facilitate tearingV of the tongue 64 through the V-shapedlholding section 42 .of the capmernber 28, the

lower skint sectionV 4)preferably is .provided with cut 'portionsor slits 66 adjacent both sides of the tearing tongue 64 and extending to the score lines 60, 62. The cut portions 66 of the lower skirtl section 46 serve to insure against the'breaking off of the tearing tongue 64 at the beginning of the tearing action'through the V-shaped holding section 42 of the cap 2S..

While,'for the purpose of illustration, theiscore lines i yscope of the instant invention.

'When itis desiredrto open the container'flfthe consumer first, grips the tearing tongue 674 and tears through .the cap member ZS-along thescore, lines 66, 6,2 toA the opposite'end portion `Vof the central cap panel 39 at'which lthe score :lines 60, 62Qterminate.y Since the V-shaped holding sectionz42 of the 'capjmember 28 isy no longer in firm Contact with the container body 12 at the V-shaped groove V26 thereof, thecap member 2S'may thereafter be readily lifted from theL container body 12.'`

' After the cap member 28 'hasbee'n removed from the container body 12, the sealingelement 44 remains in her- `metically sealing 'relationship with the container bodyv 12 owing to the tight sealingengagement of the counter'sink 'wall`48 ofthe sealing element 44 with the inner surface "52 of the container body 12. Y To remove the sealing element 44 from "the container body 12, the lange portion 5870i the gripping button 52 isl squeezed or pressed inwardly as shown in FIG. 3, thereby pulling the llat central Vportion 46 inwardly and moving' the countersink Wall 48 substantially out of engagement with theV inner surface 52 of the container body 12. The sealing element 44 then may be easily lifted'from thecontainer body 12 by pulling upwardly "on the gripping button 54, to remove fthe outwardly extending ange 5t) from the flat upper.

bead face 16. f Y In'the case of a concentrated or other type of food product P vwhich normally is not fully consumedV after the n initial opening ofthe container 10, the instant sealing ,.element'44 is especially useful since it may be convenfiently usedas a reclosure for the container body 12. The

' sealing'element 44 is easily repositioned within .the container body 12 byfagain squeezing or pressing inwardly lthe -flange portion 58 of the gripping button 54 andragain moving the sealing element 44 to the position shown in FIG. 3 wherein the outwardly extending-flange 50 thereof engages .the fiaty upper face 16'of theannularbead 14 on the containerbody 12'. The gripping button 54 Vthen is released-and the countersink wall `48 of the'sealing-element 44, owing to the resilience` of the sealing element material, moves outwardly into tight-sealing engagement ywithu the adiacentY inner surface 520i the container. body 17210. preserve the food product P remaining in the conf tainer 10. Y

FIG. 4 comprises a container body12anda cap mem .ber28a`*which are identical' in construction'fto thelrco'nf 4 tainer body 12 and cap member 28, respectively, shown in FIG. 2. The sealing element 44a of the modified container 16a is substantially the same as the sealing element 44 of FIG. 2, except that it is provided with a pluralityl of'venting apertures 57a disposed in andapproximately equally circumferentially spaced around the countersink Wall sa'thereof. t

The sealing Velement 44a. hermetically seals the product P within the container body 12a because of the tight engagement of the, countersink Wall 48a and the outwardly extending ange 56a with the interior surface 52a of the container body 12a and the flat upper face 16a ofthe annular bead 18:1, respectively. Because of the vacuum Within the container body 12a, the upperk portion 56a of the gripping button 54a and the'at central portion 46a of the sealing element 44a are bowed-or Ydeformed downwardly towards the food product P (see FIG. 4).

In orderV to prevent excessive downward deformation of ,thel central. portion 46a, which might result in the pulling of the countersink wall 45a away from the interior body surface 52a a sucient amount to break the hermetic seal and expose the food product P to the atmosphere through therventing apertures 57a, Vthe upper level .L of the food product P preferably is closely adjacent thevcentral portion 46a to support it after a slight inward deformation thereof which` is insufiicient to break the sealing engagement of the sealing element 44a withfthe container body When it is desired to open the container 10a of FIG. 4, the sealing cap 28a is removed therefrom and the ange portion 58a of the gripping button 54a is squeezed or pressed inwardly as shown in FIG. 5. Opposite portions of the countersink wall V48a in approximately radial align- F .ment with the direction of squeezing thus are 4pulled out of sealing engagement with the interior surface 52a-of vthe container body 12a to relieve the vacuumftherein Vthrough` the venting apertures y57a in the portionsof the Y countersink wall 48aV which are separated from the interior body surface 52a. The sealing element r44a then `may be easily liftedrfrom 'they container body 12a by pulling upwardly onthe gripping button 54a.

As shown in FIG. 6, the sealing element 44a may con- `veniently be used as a reclosure for the container body 12a to preserve the food product P remaining therein.

This is accomplished b'ysqueezingk the gripping button 54a and repositioning the sealing element 44a within the container body 12a. The gripping button 54a then is released to again bring the countersink wall 43al into tight sealing engagement with fthe. interior surface 52d of the container body 12a. Since there is no longer any vacuum .withinthe container body\12z, thereis no pressuredifferential on ythe central portion V46a of the sealing elementA .under vacuum, The sealing element 144 of FIG. 7 coniprises a'cou'ntersink wall 1'48 and an outwardly extending flange which areidentical `in construction -to the `countersink Wall 48 and outwardly extending flange 50,V

respectively, ofthe sealing element'44. The lowerportion ofthe countersink' wal1'1`48 merges with a central panel or portion 146 -having a solid gripping button 154`eXtending Y upwardly therefrom and preferably formed` integral therewith. Slncethe 'gripping button 154 is solid, it cannot be utilized to move' the counte'rsinkv Wall 148 out of tight.

` To facilitate n Y y Y. Y l n engagement withvthe adjacent interior surfaceoffthe con. FIG?, illustrates modiidY form of( the"`container tamer bdy 12 'whnrthe sea 1mg elemnt 144-1sp9s11u0ned shown in lIG. 2 whichisadapted .for luse.yvithfafood` l 'productPf to be maintainedfunder vacu'innA rtopresenve j the-'freshness thereofL-.l The Vmodified `container `'10a "of thereon..

fromjthe container body'12, thereforefit is desirable. to

. provide for the'venting of Vthe vacuum in the container 10 priorV to the removal of the sealing element 144`from the the removal ofthe sealing element' V144V venting aperture -156 in one side of the central panel 146. A sealing tape 158 of any suitable material such as plastic 0r paper is adhesively secured to the central panel 146 to seal the venting aperture 156. The sealing tape 158 preferably is secured to the central panel 146 by a pressure sensitive adhesive so that it may be lifted sufliciently to uncover the venting aperture 156 (see FIG. 7) when it is desired to remove the sealing element 144 from the container body 12 and so that thereafter it again may be pressed into sealing engagement with the central panel 146 to close the venting aperture 156 when the sealing element 144 is to b'e used as a reclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates another modification .of the sealing element 44 shownin FIGS. 2 and 3 for use in containers wherein the food product is maintained under vacuum. The sealing element 244 of FIG. 8 comprises a countersink wall 248 and an outwardly extending flange 250 which are identical in construction to the countersink wall 48 and outwardly extending flange 56, respectively, of the sealing element 44. A central panel or portion 246 merges with the lower portion of the countersink wall 248 and is providedwith a venting aperture 256 therein. A gripping strip 254 of a plastic material similar to that of the sealing element 244 is adhesively secured at one end portion 255 to the central panel 246 in any suitable or conventional manner. The undersurface of the gripping strip 254 is provided witha sealing plug 258 which is so positioned and constructed as rto be receivablev in the venting aperture 256 to seal it when thefree portion 259 of the gripping strip 254 is pressed against the central panel 246.

When the container 1G is initially opened by removal Y of the cap member 28 from the container body 12, the sealing element 244 thereafter is removed from the container body 12 by pulling upwardly on the free portion 259of the gripping strip 254 to remove the plug 258 fromV the venting aperture 256. The vacuum within the container 10 is thus vented to the atmosphere and the sealing element 244 may easily be lifted from the container body 12 by pulling upwardly on the gripping strip 254. When the sealing element 244 is used as a reclosure, the plug' 25S is again inserted in the venting aperture 256 by pressing the free portion 259 of the gripping strip 254 against the central panel 246.

The instant container in its preferred or modified forms is particularly advantageous in that the cap member thereof is tamperproof to assure the consumer that the food product is hermetically sealed within the container, and the sealing element thereof may conveniently be used as a reclosure'to preserve the food product remaining in the container after the initial opening thereof.

vIt is thought that the invention and many of its attendent advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and ar-l rangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: I p 1. A container for hermetically lsealing a product unde vacuum, comprising:y v

a generally cylindrical container body having an open body adjacent said end, v an annular bead on said containerv l open end thereof, and l a flexible and resilient sealing element said body end and comprising:

disposed within a laterally extending central portion disposed belowA tersink wall and in engagement with the upper portion of said annular bead,

means in said sealing element forventing the vacuum 'in said container body, and

a gripping portion extending upwardly from said central portion to facilitate removal of said' sealing element from said container body and reclosing of said container body with said sealing element.Y

2. The container of claim l wherein said gripping portion comprises a hollow button having a depending flange portion integrally connected to said central portion,

said venting means comprises a plurality of ventingV apertures in said countersink wall, and

said depending flange portion is deformable laterally inwardly when said button is gripped to move said countersink wall laterally inwardly out of engagement with the adjacent interior surface of said container body to vent the vacuum in said container body through said venting apertures. 3. The container of claim 1 wherein said gripping portion comprises a solid button integrallyconnected to said central portion,

said venting means comprises a venting aperture in said central portion, and i a sealing tape is adhesively secured to the outer surface of said central portion over said venting aperture to seal the same and to maintain the vacuum in the container.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said gripping portion comprises a exible and resilientstrip having an end portion thereof adhesively secured to said centralportion, and wherein said venting means comprises a venting Vaperture in said central portion, Y

the free Vpontion of said gripping strip being disposed over s aid venting aperture and having a plug on the undersurface thereof positioned in said venting aperture to seal the same and to maintain the vacuum in the container.

body having an open end, said sealing element comprising:

a generally laterally extending central portion adapted to be disposed within the container body below the open end thereof,

a countersink walll extending upwardly from said central portion and adapted to engage the adjacent interior surface of the container body,

a flange extending generally laterally outwardly from said countersink wall andadapted to engage the upper portion of the container body adjacent the open end thereof,

means in said sealing element adapted t`o Vent the vacuum in the container body, and

a gripping pontion extending upwardly from said central portion and adapted to facilitate removal of said sealing element from the container body and reclosing of the container body with said sealing element.

f `ping portion comprises a hollow button having a dependportion,`

ing Vflange' portion integrally connected to said central tures in said countersinlr wall, and

said dependingtflange portion is adaptedito be dei formed laterally inwardly when said button is gripped to move said countersink wall laterally inwardly out of engagement'with the adjacent interior surface of Y .l .-thef container bodyto vent the vacuum in the container body through said venting apertures. 7. The sealing element of ,claim 5 wherein said gripping portion comprises a solid :button integrally connected to said central portion,

' 6. Thejsealing element of claim 5 Wherein'said grip-V said venting means comprises a plurality ofventing aperi said venting means comprises a venting aperture in said central portion, and Y aY sealing tape is adhesively secured to the outer surface of said central portion over said'venting aperture to seal the same. y i n 8. The sealing element of claim wherein saidV gripping 'portion comprisesa flexible and resilientstrip having an a generally v`cylindrical container body having an open i end,

a food product under vacuum in said container body,

an annular bead on said container body adjacent said open end thereof, and Y t a flexible and resilient sealing element disposed Within said body end and comprising: t

a laterally extending central portion disposed lbelow said open body end,v

a countersink-wall extending upwardly frornsaid cen- `tra1 portion and in sealing engagement with the adjacent interior surface of said container'body,

a iange extending laterally outwardlyjfromsaid countersink wall and in engagement with the upper'por- Vtionfof saidfannularbead, and

a vgripping lportion extending upwardly from said central portion, Y y, a

said sealing element having venting Ymeans ,formed therein, Y v l, Y

said ycentral portion being deformed vdownwardlyy under atmospheric pressure into engagement with the upper Surface of 'said foodl product in said'containcr v body, whereby said foovd product prevents excessivedownward deformation `of said central portion to maintain said countersinkwall in sealing engagement withV the interior surface of said container body.

References Cited' in the le of thisrpatent UNiTED srATnsjPATENTs Martin r Aug. 30, 1955 2,716,504 2,773,622 Augensen -Dec. l1, 1956 2,803,367 Antal Allg. 20, 1957 2.916.174

Orr Dec. 8. 1959 

1. A CONTAINER FOR HERMETICALLY SEALING A PRODUCT UNDER VACUUM, COMPRISING: A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER BODY HAVING AN OPEN END, AN ANNULAR BEAD ON SAID CONTAINER BODY ADJACENT SAID OPEN END THEREOF, AND A FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT SEALING ELEMENT DISPOSED WITHIN SAID BODY END AND COMPRISING: A LATERALLY EXTENDING CENTRAL PORTION DISPOSED BELOW SAID OPEN BODY END, A COUNTERSINK WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID CENTRAL PORTION AND IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ADJACENT INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID CONTAINER BODY, A FLANGE EXTENDING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID COUNTERSINK WALL AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID ANNULAR BEAD, MEANS IN SAID SEALING ELEMENT FOR VENTING THE VACUUM IN SAID CONTAINER BODY, AND A GRIPPING PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID CENTRAL PORTION TO FACILITATE REMOVAL OF SAID SEALING ELEMENT FROM SAID CONTAINER BODY AND RECLOSING OF SAID CONTAINER BODY WITH SAID SEALING ELEMENT. 